Stop Stress, and Give from the Heart

Even with the best of intentions, at holiday time we can fall into a mechanical default mode of making our lists, decorating and baking as a chore, rushing around and shopping joylessly. When the experience of the season feels like a task-oriented mental function, or even a stress frenzy, we lose out on all the potential joy of it. Half the gift of giving is in feeling the love that inspired it.

No matter which tradition you may follow, more than likely its meaning is related to renewal of spirit, connection and love – qualities of the heart. The holidays are a time for us to connect with our hearts as we celebrate hope and joy. When we’re stressed and cut off from the heart, stuck in our heads with things to do, it actually creates a strain on the physical heart. If we miss the spirit of the holidays, that takes a toll on the body too.

It’s worth revisiting what it actually means to “give from the heart.” It’s about opening our heart and feeling the qualities that create a sense of fulfillment. As the giver, the gift we offer comes back to us two-fold: the genuine act of giving feels good and we also receive feel-good feelings from the energies of those who receive our gift. It’s fun and joyful! Acts of the heart can be many different things – a surprise gift that’s just what they want, a kind word, an unrushed visit, a thank-you to a frazzled store clerk, a thoughtfully written card, a beaming smile.

The other day Deborah was leading a seminar and her students asked her what to do when they feel so rushed and over-stretched during the holidays. She told them they already have the HeartMath tools they need, so use them to make giving from the heart more important than thinking they’re tied to all their tasks. When you make using these tools your first priority, you create time because you’re in a flow.

Don’t let your Inner Scrooge short-change what should be one of the happiest times of the year. Make an inner decision – a heart commitment – that you’re going to do things differently this year. When you know you need to re-center to get back in the holiday spirit and be able to give from a genuine heart, try this:

Step 2 – As you do so, recall a time when you felt good inside. This could be a feeling of appreciation or care toward a special person or a pet, a place you enjoyed, or an activity that was fun. Allow yourself to feel this good feeling of appreciation or care. If you can’t feel anything, it’s okay. Just have an attitude of appreciation, care, compassion or other positive attitude.

Step 3 – Once you’ve shifted to a positive feeling or attitude, try to sustain the attitude by sending or radiating feelings of appreciation or care to yourself and others. This benefits them and especially helps recharge and balance your own system. You can also send care and heart energy to the planet and to your highest intentions.

If you take nothing else from this article, decide that you’re not going to do anything this holiday season unless you’re in your heart.

Then you can see the possibilities and your energy isn’t scattered. Life becomes more intuitive and you become a gift to yourself and those around you. Make it a practice to add a little of your spirit of the heart wherever you go – your holiday gift to the world

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130 comments

Ughh, another Heart Math ad in hiding. No one says you have to allow ANY holiday to become something you feel stress about. It's all about just saying NO and crafting YOUR life in the manner you deem fit.